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HSGMC wrests control of Kaithal gurdwara, fails in Kurukshetra
The HSGMC on Wednesday managed to wrest control of a gurdwara from Amritsar-based SGPC in Kaithal district, but its similar bid to take over a gurdwara in Kurukshetra turned violent when the police and SGPC supporters stopped them.
The HSGMC on Wednesday managed to wrest control of a gurdwara from Amritsar-based SGPC in Kaithal district, but its similar bid to take over a gurdwara in Kurukshetra turned violent when the police and SGPC supporters stopped them.
Kurukshetra superintendent of police Ashwin Shenvi said the police used water canons, tear gas shells and cane charge to disperse HSGMC members who were forcing their way into gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi in the town. At least five policemen were injured in the clash.
According to HSGMC vice-president Didar Singh Nalwi, however, the police acted when some persons threw stones during the entry of about 400 SGPC supporters into the gurdwara.
Nalwi said Sikhs in Haryana will "not compromise" on the formation of HSGMC which wants to take control of about 30 Sikh shrines that are currently being managed by the SGPC task force.
The Supreme Court will Thursday hear a petition seeking the quashing of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014, contending that it was ultra vires of the Constitution and interferes in Sikh religious affairs.
Meanwhile, by engaging SGPC men at Kurukshetra, the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee managed to forcibly take over historical Shri Hargobind Sahib Patshahi Shevi gurdwara at Guhla Cheeka in Kaithal district.
The takeover by HSGMC, which was formed last month, had been planned in a way that even the district administration was not aware of it. About 50 SGPC employees led by manager Devinder Singh simply handed over the control and left.
This historic gurdwara, where 6th Guru Hargobind Sahib and 9th Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur Ji have visited, has nearly 150 acres of land, 80 shops and an estimated annual income of Rs 1 crore.
